Monday, June 8, 2009

Peter B. Versus the CIA

Employment disputes are all too common inside and outside of government, including at the CIA. In one pending lawsuit, a former CIA employee claimed that the Agency improperly terminated his employment and communicated negative information about him to another prospective employer, thereby violating his rights.

In this case, however, the name of the aggrieved employee is a national security secret.

“As plaintiff’s true name is classified, he has been permitted to file as ‘Peter B.’,” according to a recent court ruling (pdf), in which Judge Richard W. Roberts rejected the CIA’s motion to dismiss the case. “Peter B’s” attorney, Mark S. Zaid, whose name is not classified, welcomed the June 1 opinion.